CHAPTER 1628: CHAPTER 1622: SOMEONE ALWAYS NEEDS TO TRY

The atmosphere was instantly as silent as death. The sound coming from the comms wasn’t particularly loud, but it suppressed all the noise here—the laser weapon fire, the rumble of corpse-pushing war machines, the anguished cries of people. It was spine-chilling. Amid all this chaotic clamor, faint murmurs blended with an ethereal, death-filled bizarre resonance, impossible to describe.

After hearing the report from the other side, Yan Jiang seemed frozen, holding the receiver in his hand, staring blankly at the computer screen.

"What did you say?" His tone dropped into a low register as he spoke toward the comms again, as if unable to believe the soldier’s words. It was too unbelievable! But there was no answer to his repeated question.

Ghost Head and Brother Shi exchanged a glance. In that instant, both of them doubted their ears—had the Zombie King appeared?

Are you sure this isn’t a joke?

What does a Zombie King signify? It’s the shadow looming over all humanity. Though both men had already prepared themselves for death, without fearing it, they had never imagined encountering the Zombie King!

The words "Zombie King" were like a primal fear etched into human genes. Upon hearing them, their courage, no matter how vast, crumbled, causing their legs to instinctively retreat!

"Z-Z-Zombie King?"

Perhaps noticing their reaction, Yan Jiang’s gaze shifted toward them.

"What’s the matter? Trying to run away again?"

"N-No, it’s not that."

Hearing Yan Jiang’s voice snapped them out of it. They forcibly steadied themselves and answered. Yan Jiang didn’t reply further, his face heavy with tension as he hung up the call and stepped outside. Ghost Head and Brother Shi exchanged a hesitant look before following him out.

Once outside, Yan Jiang raised his head to look northwest. The three behind him followed suit, as did the soldiers in the vicinity.

"That’s..."

In the distance, the sky was similarly cloaked with dense, ominous clouds. But the difference was, where the clouds should’ve been pitch-black, they weren’t. In the northwest, the sky seemed permeated with unknown particles, staining it an eerie shade of purple and stirring unease in everyone’s hearts.

"What’s going on over there?"

"Why has it turned like this?"

"Isn’t that toward the Third District? Did something break out over there?"

"I think so..."

"Doesn’t this seem a bit too exaggerated?"

"..."

The murmurs of nearby soldiers reached their ears, carrying a faint taste of panic in the air. That purple hue—anyone with sharp eyes could tell it wasn’t signaling good news.

Yan Jiang, ahead of the three, observed for a while before pulling out his phone and dialing the number he needed.

"Hello, this is Dangerous..."

"Cut the nonsense! Immediately notify all active-duty soldiers in the city to assemble at the northwest defensive wall!"

"Something happened?"

"I just received word. The Zombie King has appeared in the Third District."

The operator on the other end was rendered speechless by Yan Jiang’s statement. After a long pause, there came a reply: "Understood."

The man’s voice sounded calm at first, but listening closely, the tremor of chattering teeth betrayed overwhelming fear, even causing his speech to blur.

Naturally, Yan Jiang’s command was picked up by the surrounding soldiers as well. The air froze for a moment, then shattered like an explosion!

"The Zombie King? Did I mishear?"

"Is it really the Zombie King?"

"The Zombie King has appeared in the Third District!"

"Could that purple mist be due to the Zombie King’s presence?"

"No way! Why has the Zombie King appeared so soon? Why would it show up near us?"

"..."

"Everyone, quiet down!" As the environment grew chaotic, countless voices poured into Yan Jiang’s ears. His gaze darkened, and he shouted fiercely at all the soldiers. Following his outburst, silence fell as every pair of eyes turned toward him, awaiting his next words.

"Everyone, form up!"

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers didn’t dare disobey. They quickly assembled into a massive phalanx in the square. In this moment, the elite force of Dangerous Sanctuary City revealed its discipline and precision.

Despite the suffocating fear of the Zombie King looming over the three, they couldn’t help but let out a sigh. This level of organization was leagues beyond what their previous units could achieve.

"Listen up, all units. The Zombie King is currently in the Third District. I know you’re all terrified! I understand! Because in the past, no survivor base or sanctuary city has ever successfully defended against the Zombie King’s presence! Fate is cruel, but this time, it’s our turn to face the Zombie King. We’re facing the greatest threat yet! While there’s no record of success, that doesn’t mean success is impossible! There’s still a chance we can prevail! What if we are the ones to make history?"

"You all know, before people realized crabs could be eaten, someone had to try it first to discover the outcome! In that process of trial and error, sacrifices are inevitable, but we cannot retreat! If no one dares to face it, humanity will never attain the future it desires! If we retreat now, then what about next time? And the time after that? Will we choose to run every time? That’s not an option! The road forward may have an end, and so does the road backward. One day, if we keep fleeing, we’ll find ourselves cornered with nowhere left to go. Eventually, we’ll still have to face it!"

"Given that, why don’t we muster our courage and confront the threat head-on in this first encounter? Even if it costs us our lives! Because if we succeed, it’s not just our victory—it’s humanity’s victory! Our descendants will continue to thrive for generations to come, rather than face extinction, reduced to livestock waiting for slaughter!"

"Tell me—am I right?"

His rallying words ignited the morale of every soldier. In unison, the phalanx erupted with desperate, guttural cries!

"Yes!"

"Good! Now, we march toward the northwest defensive wall! To face the battle ahead with courage!"

"Yes!"

"All units follow your captains and proceed to the defensive wall in waves to prepare for combat!"

"Yes!"

Under Yan Jiang’s command, the phalanx split apart in orderly fashion, heading toward the northwest defensive wall as instructed. Yan Jiang raised his head once more toward the purple-stained sky in the northwest, his face grim and unrelenting. He had spoken inspirationally, yet deep down, the prospect of a fight against the Zombie King had never crossed his mind. Winning? Even less so.